People. Places. Progress.

Transcription

1 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District People. Places. Progress. Winter 2012

2 Page 2 News Magazine of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District Commander: Lt. Col. Edward P. Chamberlayne Deputy, Programs and Project Management: William Stein Corporate Communications Office: Contents Features District Hosts First Post 45 Public Scoping Meeting Page 4 Faster, Smarter Approach to Post 45 Feasibility Study Page 6 The Future of Container Ships... Page 6 Public s Questions Answered About Haile Gold Mine Page 7 A Vision Achieved Page 8 Highlighted District Positions Page 10 Innovative Solutions Revolutionize Dining and Education Page 15 New Branch and Chief Position Created Page 16 Unique Veteran s Mental Health Clinic Open Page 17 Corporate Communications Officer: Glenn Jeffries Editor: Sara Corbett Contributing Writer: Sean McBride Departments District Commander s Message Page 3 Safety Corner Page 16 Here to Help Page 17 Corporate Citizen Page 18 Tidbits Page 20 Circulation: 1,100 The Palmetto Castle is a quarterly unofficial publication authorized under the provisions of AR under supervision of the Corporate Communications Office. Editorial views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Corps of Engineers or the Department of Defense. Inquiries, comments and requests for electronic copies can be forwarded to the editor of the Palmetto Castle by to : PalmettoCastle@usace.army. mil Be sure to follow us: Submissions: If you would like to submit news, features, photographs or other content to be included in an upcoming edition of the Palmetto Castle, please submit to PalmettoCastle@usace.army.mil. Publication will be determined by the editor. On the cover... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District People. Places. Progress. Winter 2011 This issue features the growth of the Charleston District during recent history, including people, projects and customers (see pages 8-14). The cover photo shows two project managers reviewing blueprints for the Quad DFAC during its construction (see page 15 for more info).

3 Page 3 From the Commander Hope everyone s year is going great so far! In our last issue, we summarized all of our accomplishments and contributions in support of the valued customers of the Charleston District and our nation. This issue will focus on the recent growth of the District and additional unique capabilities that we bring to our customers. While our main focus is to deliver high quality construction and services in a timely manner and within the individual budgets of our customers, we also strive to ensure that we support our customers with a diverse and highly qualified team of certified professionals. Our team of engineers, architects, biologists, lawyers and contract specialists (just to name a few) spends time each year training and sharpening their skills. I am very proud of this team and the value they deliver for our nation. I would also like to take an opportunity to update you on one of our top District priorities -- the Charleston Harbor Deepening Feasibility Study, or better known as the Post 45 Study. We began the study in June 2011 and estimate the study to take between five and eight years to complete. In December, we held a series of public scoping meetings and collected much needed feedback to help our team incorporate concerns and suggestions into the study. We are now in the final stages of developing the core objectives for the study and contract scopes of work to collect environmental data, sediment and geotechnical samples, and economic data. At each step of the study, we are always looking for ways to speed up the process, yet deliver an adequate study, so that we best use our nation s financial and environmental resources. In December of last year, we spent a considerable amount of time updating our Congressional delegation from South Carolina and Governor Haley on the status of regulatory permitting actions, our efforts to improve military facilities, our waterways and coastal resources (to include the Post 45 study), and facilities in support of our interagency customers. The leadership was very complementary of our District team and each asked many questions to better inform their constituents. Communication is absolutely key in our business and we hope that this issue of the Palmetto Castle helps to inform you of what we are working on. Please let us know if you have suggestions and want to know more about something in future issues. Thank you! BUILDING STRONG across SOUTH CAROLINA and BEYOND!! Edward P. Chamberlayne, P.E. Lt. Col., U.S. Army Commander and District Engineer edward.p.chamberlayne@usace.army.mil Be Green, Save a Tree! In an effort to reduce costs and save environmental resources, please let us know if you would rather receive an electronic soft-copy version of this publication. Just send a quick to PalmettoCastle@usace.army.mil.

4 Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 4 District Hosts First Post 45 By: Sean McBride On December 13th, the Charleston District hosted a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) public scoping meeting for the Charleston Harbor Post 45 deepening feasibility study. The meeting, which was held at The Citadel, was mutually beneficial for both the public and the Charleston District. The meeting served as a forum for the public to learn more about the project and for them to provide comments to the Charleston District on any concerns they may have about the engineering, economic or environmental (the three E s ) aspects of the project that need to be taken into consideration during the study. Valuable insight on the project was gained by the Charleston District through the receipt of comments from the public. The meeting began with opening comments from Lt. Col. Ed Chamberlayne, Charleston District Commander, and Jim Newsome, CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA). Attendees from the public were then able to walk around and visit stations set up for the three E s. There was also a display from the SCSPA, an educational video on the feasibility study process and numerous stations for commenting. the study. Public participation is an important part of the feasibility study process. Throughout the workshop, the public was able to interact with team members and discuss issues related to the different aspects of this study. The public could use written or electronic means to provide comments on their concerns. The comments received were in support of the District s preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for

5 Page 5 Public Scoping Meeting The Charleston District will be reviewing several alternatives in the feasibility study and will focus on the three E s. The engineering feasibility takes into account if the project can be built, what must be done to make it safe and what the cost will be. The economic studies will answer questions such as Do the benefits versus the costs make this project worthwhile? How does the nation benefit from this project? and How much benefit will the nation receive? Environmental issues to address in the DEIS will include, but are not limited to; air, surface/ground water and sediment quality, fish habitats and endangered species, shoreline changes, and cultural and historical resources. A feasibility study determines the most economically beneficial and environmentally acceptable alternative proposed. In the feasibility phase, the cost-share is split between the federal government and the sponsor, the SCSPA, but the study will be conducted by the Charleston District. In order to keep pace with the future of maritime commerce worldwide, the SCSPA has requested the harbor be deepened to accommodate larger vessels that are becoming more common and will be heavily used upon completion of the new Panama Canal in To this point, some of the larger container ships have begun to call on Charleston Harbor, but can only come at high-tide or not fully loaded, causing inefficiencies in transportation. A typical USACE feasibility study takes between 5-8 years to complete, but for this $18-20 million study, the Charleston District is striving for less time with innovative and aggressive measures (see page 6). This will include using best practices where applicable, streamlining the review and approval process, and using subject matter experts from around the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Charleston team. The feasibility study will identify the National Economic Development (NED) plan that maximizes the net benefits to the nation related to deepening the federal channel. Please scan the QR code with your smartphone to watch a video with more about the Feasibility Study process.

6 Page 6 Faster, Smarter Approach to Post 45 Feasibility Study By: Sean McBride A recent meeting was held between the Charleston District and the Charleston Branch Pilots Association (CBPA) to develop several alternatives to test during ship simulations for the Post 45 Feasibility Study. Using scale model maps and ships, the group looked at critical areas in the harbor with heavy tide currents to understand how much space incoming vessels need when docking at the ports. As feedback was received from the Harbor Pilots, the Charleston District team was able to make changes to the plans in real time using geographic information systems software. The Harbor Pilots responded enthusiastically as they saw their proposed navigation improvements appear before their eyes. Ship simulations will eventually be done at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS and will be used to assess the maneuverability and safety of vessels in the harbor. The simulation results and recommendations will be used for determining the final design plan. The meeting with the Harbor Pilots at this stage in the process is not standard practice by the Corps, but was used by the Charleston District as part of the commitment to streamlining the feasibility study process to do everything possible to shorten the process timeline. It was great to bring us in so early in the process to troubleshoot how ships move in the harbor, said Whit Smith, President of the CBPA. At the end of the day, this level of collaboration with the maritime community will help the Corps accomplish this project faster and more efficiently. The Future of Container Ships...

7 Page 7 By: Sean McBride Public s Questions Answered about Haile Gold Mine In October 2011, the Charleston District began the process of preparing the environmental impact statement (EIS) needed before coming to a permit decision for the Haile Gold Mine project application in Kershaw, SC. That same month, the District hosted a public scoping meeting on the project to receive needed input from the public before starting the EIS. The event yielded numerous comments and observations that will be taken into consideration during the study process. One suggestion expressed that night was for the District to return to Kershaw on a separate night to field questions about the technical aspects of the proposed Haile Gold Mine project. Sharon Abbott, project manager at the Conway Field Office, explains a site map of the Haile Gold Mine to two Kershaw residents. evening telling the approximately 200 attendees that we may not have all the answers yet because we don t have all the technical results but we are going to do our best to answer the questions we can and will provide additional technical feedback at future points in the process. Questions from the citizens ranged from potential contamination of drinking water to how wildlife will be affected. Many questions were in regards to the tailings storage facility (TSF) that Haile Gold Mine has proposed to build. The TSF, as proposed, would store ore after it has been processed and gold has been removed. The public was concerned about whether the TSF would be able to safely contain chemicals that are used in the gold mining process. Richard Darden answers questions from the public about Haile Gold Mine. With that in mind, District representatives returned to Kershaw on January 23 rd to address any questions that the citizens of Kershaw had about the project and the study process. Dr. Richard Darden, project manager, began the The mining process [as proposed by Haile Gold Mine] is a state-of-the-art technology, but that doesn t mean there is no risk of contaminants, said Darden. We will do a thorough evaluation of the project s impact on surface and ground water, as well as air quality, noise and much more. It is up to us to balance the project s proposed benefits against the environmental detriments and make a permit decision on that basis. At the end of the night, the residents of Kershaw seemed to better appreciate the process, even though some technical questions will not be answered until later in the process. The residents also requested that the District return again to give another presentation on how the mine process is proposed to operate. The District plans to make this request a reality in April Darden addresses the eager Kershaw citizens about the process for the night s meeting.

8 Page 8 By: Sara Corbett A V i s i o n A c h i e v e d The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District has had phenomenal growth in project workload over the past several years, which has led to expansion in personnel needed to accomplish these tasks. It all started in 2003, with the institution of an aggressive outreach program where the District visited counties and federal agencies throughout the state to explain how the Corps can do work for them. The first major new customer came in 2006 with the acquisition of the Marine Forces Reserves (MARFORRES) planned maintenance, inspection, repair and certification program at 180 reserve center sites around the country. This program had been administered under Navy Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), but due to Base Realignment and Closure, they shut down their Charleston offices and this particular MARFORRES program moved to the District. The acquisition of the MARFORRES program is unusual; MARFORRES wanted the two project managers that had handled their projects at NAVFAC to continue on with the program. The two project managers helped facilitate the program coming to the District and were eventually hired as Corps employees. The District took on this program with enthusiasm and did such a good job executing the projects that MARFORRES expanded their work with the District. One major project that the Charleston District recently completed for MARFORRES was a $60 million upfit to their new 411,320 square foot headquarters in New Orleans, which included design and execution of emergency power generation, vehicle entry gates and computer room HVAC units. In 2008, the Savannah District Commander recommended that command and control of construction at Fort Jackson be returned to the Charleston District. Construction at Fort Jackson had been under the Charleston District until 1961 when it moved to Savannah District. Since taking over this mission, the District has executed hundreds of millions of dollars in projects. At Fort Jackson, we do design and construction for all military construction (MILCON) projects, as well as a large portion of the operations and maintenance (O&M) and sustainment, restoration and modernization (SRM) work, said Max Carroll, project manager for military construction. We oversee all aspects of a project from inception to completion. A few recently completed projects include a Dual Dining Facility, which serves 2,400 Soldiers in an hour, and a Consolidated Drill Sergeant School. Due to the size of this new mission, the District needed to hire a whole new team of project managers and expand the contracting and construction offices. This team has grown from one office to three field offices with approximately 50 people, which includes approximately 35 employees at Fort Jackson. Contracting also grew from five to ten employees. At the same time, the Charleston District added an international and interagency support (IIS) branch with taking on work for the Veteran s Administration (VA) and, a year later, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) also became an IIS customer. The VA received much needed funding by Congress to rehabilitate their hospitals and clinics nationwide. The Charleston District volunteered to be the program manager for three of the VA s Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) regions to execute work in the states of South Carolina and Georgia. The VA s healthcare is separated into 21 geographical regions known as VISN s, which are further broken into type of medical center and service. The District has executed $41.7 million in work since Since 2007, the work supported by Charleston District for the VA has primarily focused on O&M and SRM improvements to the VA hospitals in Augusta, GA; Charleston, SC; Columbia, SC; and Dublin, GA, providing them the ability to meet the intent of the VA s strategic plan - improved facilities, programs, and services that support the overall health and well-being of the military veterans they serve, their families and loved ones, and their caregivers, said Jim Whiteman, chief, IIS branch. DLA came to the Corps looking for a one door to the Corps to execute their $ million an-

9 Page 9 nual SRM program at 27 Defense Distribution Centers; 22 within the United States and five outside the United States. Due to the Charleston District s background executing work for MARFORRES, specifically all the design and contracting the reasons that JBC hired the District. In January 2012, $30 million in SRM work at JBC was assigned to the Charleston District. One vital SRM project included repairing moisture damage to one of their facilities. work and the geographical locations, DLA decided that Charleston District was the best fit for what they were looking to accomplish. While the work is SRM projects, the work to be completed is large projects that are critical to DLA s mission, said Clarence Hutto, section chief of the engineering branch. A few examples of the work we are doing for DLA include replacing the floors at the warehouses at the Red River Army Depot in Texas and providing, upgrading or reactivating fire protection systems to warehouses all over the country. To support the growth of IIS and the SRM work that the District had taken on, the District hired seven new employees. Since fire protection was a big concern for DLA, the District hired a project manager who specializes in fire suppression to ensure that the projects were executed correctly. All of the new customers and work the District has executed and the employees that the District has put into place have led to new projects and work at the recently created Joint Base Charleston (JBC). In 2010, JBC was created by combining the Air Force Base and the Naval Weapons Station. The District met with the JBC leadership to see how the District could assist JBC. The proximity of the Charleston District to JBC was a big appeal to doing work and one of The District s Expertise ATTORNEYS: James Choate John Kassebaum Brian Nutter DAWIA III: Nancy Hamilton Laurie Infinger Lauri Newkirk-Paggi John Szep Henry Wigfall PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER LICENSE: Stanley C. Allison Rhonda Bath Sara A. Brown Max Carroll Edward P. Chamberlayne James L. Cook David P. Dodds Brian Edwards Cole Gatewood Wayne Griffith James E. Henderson Jr. Peter Hess Jason H. Hinton Clarence Hutto Pano F. Kordonis Mathew M. Laws, III Jeff J. Livasy John D. Lybrand Jr. John Mathis Effie Meletis James A. Mims, III Vickmary Negron-Figueroa Hugh Odom Bob Patil Brandan M. Scully Lee Shokes William Stein Mark R. Taylor Bryan C. Tempio Jay Torner David Warren JBC has several tenants that reside on their base, so when the District was tasked to do all SRM work on JBC, this included their tenants such as Army Strategic Logistics Activity-Charleston, Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, Nuclear Power Training Unit, Air Mobility Command, Navy Nuclear Propulsion Training Center, Naval Hospital Clinic Charleston, Naval Consolidation Brig Charleston and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Charleston. The District s experience and location relative to JBC made this working relationship a good fit, said Bill Stein, deputy for programs and project management. What makes it even easier is many of the people on the JBC and Charleston District staffs are former NAVFAC employees. When meetings occur, it s not unusual for everyone in the room to have worked together at some point in their career, so everyone is on the same page and knows each other s capabilities. The growth in projects, programs and employees over the past several years has been an exciting time at the Charleston District. The District now has a variety of programs for our staff to execute that challenge us all every day and makes the District a dynamic place to work. Please see the next five pages for highlighted positions. Brian R. Wells Thomas M. Wilbur Jeff Williamson Brandon D. Works Carole A. Works DOCTORATES: Edward P. Chamberlayne Richard Darden James Struble FORESTER: Rob Huff REGISTERED ARCHITECT: Skip Haynes Nancy Jenkins Charles Johnson PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL: Rhonda Bath Nancy Hamilton Carl Hilton Patrick O Donnell David Warren Carole Works PROGRAM ANALYST LEVEL III: Laura Pamiza CERTIFIED COST ENGINEER: James Henderson Jr. CERTIFIED COST CONSULTANT: Jeffery W. Fersner LEED CERTIFICATION: Nancy Jenkins, LEED AP BD+C Charles Johnson, LEED AP COAST GUARD LICENSED MARINE OPERATORS: Bradford Schultz Joseph E. Morton Jr. Chris C. Wright

10 Page 10 Jay Torner, P.E. Fire Suppression Specialist What is your position? I currently serve as the Project Manager (PM) for the Defense Logistics Agency s (DLA) Sustainment, Restoration and Maintenance Fire Suppression Projects. I also serve the District as the subject matter expert on fire protection engineering and life safety. Describe your job. I use standard principles and processes to execute the specialized fire protection projects for DLA Distribution nationwide. I also provide fire protection engineering and life safety guidance on military and IIS projects by performing site visits and surveys and design review preparation of performance work statements, request for proposals and provide design. I support our construction field offices by providing timely responses and technical guidance, performing RFI reviews, shop drawing reviews and assist in post-award support to ensure contract compliance. What is the most unique thing about your position? My position is a hybrid of several roles. As a PM, I get to take on the challenge of getting a customer s needs, assembling the Project Delivery Team that will apply Corps guidance and policies, and developing a deliverable that satisfies all stakeholders requirements. As a registered fire protection engineer, I get to perform a job unlike anyone else in the Corps. I was hired to perform these duties for DLA, but I m working to expand my role to other customers. Describe a few accomplishments you ve experienced with your job. By providing PM and fire protection engineering technical support, I helped the District to achieve acquisition and execution goals, provide quality assurance visits to assist in construction contract management, and provide an in-house resource for fire protection engineering issues. What is the most rewarding part of your job? Simply by satisfying a customer and being a proper steward of our taxpayer dollars. Highlight a notable milestone or memory in your position. I assisted our District and IIS Branch by performing quality assurance support and commissioning of fire protection and life safety systems that enabled MARFORRES to accept and take occupancy of their new headquarters building.

11 Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 11 Richard Darden, Ph.D. Biologist Richard.Darden@usace.army.mil Describe your job. Our central focus is the protection of water of the U.S., including wetlands, streams and open waters. We help all types of land owners to identify water resources on their properties and assist them through the federal permit process in avoiding and minimizing their projects effects on the environment. Since our permit decisions involve the entire spectrum of environmental subject areas, I have to be fluent in wetlands, wildlife, historic and archaeological resources, water quality, economics, engineering design and more. What is the most unique thing about your position? Perhaps it is the amount of interaction we have with applicants, the public, other agency personnel and interested groups. We often describe ourselves as the air traffic controllers of the environmental world- 50 things all happening at once with the phone ringing off the wall. Tediousness is NOT an issue. Describe a few accomplishments you ve experienced with your job. I have a strong biological and technical background that has helped me to more effectively master the technical knowledge and skills that are essential in this job. I serve on a technical panel that helped to create the official list of more than 6,000 plant species that occur in wetlands for the Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region, indicating the percent occurrence that a given species will normally be found in wetlands versus uplands. For the past several years I have enjoyed the approval of Corps HQ to present a series of nationwide webinar presentations discussing the regulatory program and permitting process. What is the most rewarding part of your job? Many people often assume that since we are the federal government that we will represent nothing more than red tape and slow results. It is personally rewarding to see the surprised look on someone s face or hear their words of gratitude when our office turns out to be very responsive and helpful. Highlight a notable milestone or memory in your position. Outrunning another co-worker when we were chased by an alligator in a cypress swamp, only to look back and realize that the gator had gone the other direction just as scared of us as we were of it.

12 Page 12 James Choate Attorney What is your position? I serve in the Office of Counsel as an Assistant District Counsel handling mostly environmental issues. Describe your job. Generally speaking, the Office of Counsel functions as in-house counsel to the District Commander and staff to provide legal advice as needed. A large portion of my practice is dedicated to regulatory and environmental issues, although I work on a little bit of everything (including legal issues related to contract, fiscal and labor law). What is the most unique thing about your position? Many Corps employees, including attorneys, are often hired for individual expertise with a specific focus area associated with their job duties. Because our legal office is rather small in comparison to some districts, we collaboratively share the work load, which makes for an enjoyable and varied practice setting. This keeps repetitive work to a minimum and always gives me new experiences. What is the biggest challenge you ve faced in your current position? My biggest challenge is a daily struggle with rising early (i.e., 6:00 a.m.). The Charleston District Office of Counsel is staffed with early risers, so I do my best to keep up with their schedule. On a typical day, I make it into the office around 7:15-7:30 a.m. Describe a few accomplishments you ve experienced with your job. My number one accomplishment is simply getting hired for this job. Entry-level attorney positions in government service are extremely competitive based on a nationwide search of law students, so I feel very lucky to have been selected for a position in the beautiful city of Charleston. What is the most rewarding part of your job? I enjoy working with people who truly enjoy doing what they do everyday to serve others. Highlight a notable milestone or memory in your position. On September 7, 2011, I arrived for work at 6:00 a.m. On this date, I was the first to arrive in the Office of Counsel (which almost never happens).

13 Page 13 Robert Huff Forester What is your position? I have been a biologist (forester) in the Conway field office for six years. Describe your job. My job consists of wetland and stream identification and classification, evaluating Department of the Army permit requests for the placement of fill material into waters of the U.S. and structures in navigable waters of the United States. I work with forest industry professionals and the South Carolina Forestry Commission (SCFC) to ensure that silviculture activities are consistent with federal regulations and best management practices, resulting in fewer unauthorized activities, an educated public and sustainable environmental resources. I m proud of my involvement with the development and execution of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Corps and SCFC providing specific protocol on forestry matters. What is the most unique thing about your position? The opportunity to integrate my forestry experience with the Clean Water Act s goal of protecting waters of the United States. The experience I gained as a forester with a leading forest industry company and as an environmental forester with the SCFC has provided valuable knowledge that I have been able to incorporate into my current position with the Corps, resulting in unique insights on current forestry issues as they relate to federal regulations. What is the biggest challenge you ve faced in your current position? The biggest challenge I ve faced in my current position is learning the complex and dynamic regulatory program. Every day I am learning something new and will probably continue to learn until the day I retire. What is the most rewarding part of your job? The opportunity to work with landowners, developers, the forestry community and other state and federal professionals to protect waters of the United States and ensure sustainable environmental resources for future generations. Highlight a notable milestone or memory in your position. I was honored to receive the Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service and the Charleston District Field Team Member of the Year in 2010.

14 Page 14 Vickmary Negron-Figueroa, P.E. Resident Engineer What is your position? My position is to perform as the Savannah River Site (SRS) Field Office Resident Engineer. Describe your job. My job consists of providing nuclear quality assurance oversight, provide project/construction management advice, supervise a team of civil engineers, perform and review vendor assessments, manage construction contracts, and provide engineering support to Charleston District staff. What is the most unique thing about your position? The most unique thing in my position is working on nuclear projects alongside the Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) and understanding DOE as an organization. Since the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and DOE have different business processes, it is essential to understand DOE s organization in an effort to provide great quality assurance service. What is the biggest challenge you ve faced in your current position? The biggest challenge is to adapt to another organization without losing USACE s values. In my current position, I have to ensure that all DOE procedures are followed as well as USACE procedures when applicable. Describe a few accomplishments you ve experienced with your job. The two main accomplishments that I experienced this past year were the completion of a Master of Arts in management/human resources management and the achievement of the Contracting Certification Level II. These two accomplishments fulfilled some of my career goals that will allow me to keep moving forward professionally. What is the most rewarding part of your job? The most rewarding part of my job is being part of projects that will strengthen the security and safety of the nation. Highlight a notable milestone or memory in your position. A notable memory in my position is the leadership experience I have acquired as a supervisor and the very professional engineers and outstanding people assigned to SRS. The staff has helped me to grow as an engineer and to become a better person and leader.

15 Page 15 Innovative Solutions Revolutionize Dining and Education By: Sean McBride this may not be an issue, but when an entire battalion is forced inside for classroom instruction due to rain or the need to train more companies at the same time, the space is extremely limited. Because education is a top priority for the Soldiers, a new solution had to be found. The answer was found when the Charleston District was assigned the task of renovating four starships and creating the Quad DFAC to accommodate all four battalions. An aerial photo of the Quad DFAC while it s under construction. The basis of the project is to renovate each of the four starships on the campus by eliminating the dining facility in each one and adding more classrooms and office space. This will alleviate the overcrowding that is experienced when entire battalions are doing classroom activities at the same time. Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, HI and Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC are the only two U.S. Army posts with a Quad Dining Facility (Quad DFAC). After completion of numerous dual and single DFACs constructed at Fort Jackson, the Charleston District was tapped to complete this unique building to be a part of a mini-campus supporting four battalions of Soldiers. Battalions of approximately 1,300 Soldiers at Fort Jackson are housed in buildings known as starships that individually have barracks, dining facilities, classrooms and offices. The only issue is that the dining area of each starship takes up a majority of the interior of the building, leaving very little room for classrooms (see blueprint). On a normal day, The computer model of the Quad DFAC and starships. During this process, the construction of the Quad DFAC will consist of two two-story dual DFACs that will be able to feed three meals per day to the 5,200 Soldiers from the four starships within 90 minutes. Each meal is divided into three 30-minute intervals for equally divided companies of Soldiers from the battalions. The completion of the Quad DFAC will make it only the second of its kind and will revolutionize the efficiency of how Soldiers are fed. Currently, two of the starships are being renovated while two are occupied. The construction of the Quad DFAC is anticipated for June This will allow for the final renovations to be done in the currently occupied starships with a completion date of the entire project in 2013.

16 Page 16 By: John Lindsay Ditch Bad Habits for Everyday Safety Let s face it; we are all creatures of habit. We park in the same spot almost every day at work, at the gym, or wherever we frequent daily. We get up at the same time, go to bed at the same time, watch the same TV shows and take the same route to and from work at the same time each and every day. This makes our lives easier, but can also lead to complacency, which in turn can eventually harm us. Think about it why does the store occasionally change where they display their products? It s not to confuse us; it is because if they change things up, we are more likely to see some things and buy them that we weren t planning on buying. Make sense? The point of this is to help you understand that habits, combined with complacency, can lead to accidents. The flip side of this is that good habits, like buckling up when you drive, are designed to help protect you. Let s take a look at some bad habits that we see in our daily lives that could possibly lead to injury and make sure we change these to good habits to protect ourselves and others. Bad Habits: 1. Cutting the grass while wearing open toed shoes 2. Not wearing eye protection at home while using tools that could cause an eye injury 3. Not wearing ear protection while using power tools louder than 88 decibels (about what a normal lawn mower produces) 4. Riding your bike, ATV or your motorcycle without a helmet 5. Not using portable or permanent Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) while using electric power tools at home (blowers, saws, edger s, weed eaters, etc) 6. Not checking your home smoke alarms or fire extinguishers monthly 7. Standing on a chair to change light bulbs or air conditioning filters 8. Talking or texting on your phone while driving 9. Tailgating 10. Not using turn signals 11. Running yellow lights 12. Speeding Just remember folks, for every bad habit that we have, there is a good habit to replace it that could possibly protect us from injury or even save our life. New Branch and Chief Position Created On February 12th, Henry Wigfall was promoted to the position of chief of the contract execution branch, a new development due to the reorganization of nationwide contracting by the National Contracting Organization (NCO) and the growth and expansion of the Charleston District. The contracting division will be split into two different branches, the contract execution branch and the business operation branch. The business operation branch will focus on all other aspects from data collection to post award reviews. The main goal of splitting the division is to increase contract execution efficiency. Wigfall, supervising six specialists, will focus solely on executing contracts from soliciting to negotiating to awarding. This reorganization will make contracting faster and more efficient. I am so happy to see him finally being rewarded for his consistent outstanding service to this organization, the Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Army, states Rose Smalls, contract specialist with the Charleston District NCO. With more than ten years of service with the Charleston District, this is a well deserved promotion.

17 Page 17 Unique Veteran s Mental Health Clinic Open By: Sara Corbett The Charleston District is proud to have built the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center s new Veteran s Enrichment Center. This $5.5 million, 7,000 square foot center houses classrooms, offices and areas for group therapy, all of which will help veterans suffering from a mental illness. In the past five years, this VA medical center s mental health department has drastically increased the number of patients it sees from 13 percent to 25 percent of all patients that are seen. To help support the increase, the VA medical center has increased their mental health staff from 71 to 190 employees, showing the importance of mental health care to the hospital. high to prepare for future growth, which required strong structural and deep foundation systems being put into place. Helping veterans with any issues they may have, is a priority for the Charleston District and we are honored to have built a facility that will help those who need assistance coping with mental illness said Lt. Col. Edward Chamberlayne, Charleston District Commander. To accommodate the growth and to offer more programs, the VA hospital needed to expand their current building. The VA turned to the Charleston District to help with this project. Construction started in September 2009 and the District was contracted not only to construct the expansion, but also to design it. A unique aspect to this addition is that it was built with the capability of expanding five stories VISN7 Interim Director Stephen Lucas, Mental Health Chief Dr. Hugh Myrick, Acting Director Scott Isaacks, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Charleston District Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Edward P. Chamberlayne cut the ribbon to open the Veterans Enrichment Center. Here to Help! Nichole McAbee Civilian Personnel Advisory Center Director Nichole.R.McAbee@usace.army.mil Lisa Simmons Contracting Officer Lisa.S.Simmons@usace.army.mil

18 Page 18 Corporate Explaining How Post 45 Propels Forward By: Sean McBride On January 19 th, Lt. Col. Ed Chamberlayne was invited to give a presentation to the Propeller Club of Charleston on the status of the Charleston Harbor Post 45 Feasibility Study. The Propeller Club is a membership organization representing South Carolina s maritime shipping interests. The group, made up of prominent members of Charleston s maritime community, including the project s sponsor, the South Carolina State Ports Authority, was very excited when they learned how quickly the feasibility study has moved forward since the initial public meeting in December Chamberlayne explained to the group the timeline of the study and the reasons the study takes as long as it does. Chamberlayne explained that while the timeframe for completion of the study may seem long, it is better to go through the process completely and correctly the first time so that the study would not have to be redone later if necessary steps were missed. The Propeller Club gained a much better understanding of the entire process and received the explanation very well. After several questions from the audience, the Propeller Club thanked Chamberlayne for his attendance and asked him to return for additional presentations as the project proceeds. District Employees Ensure Children Have a Happy Holiday! By: Sara Corbett The Charleston District completed another successful Toys for Tots campaign in December, collecting 119 toys from employees at the District headquarters office. The Toys for Tots program was founded in 1947 in Los Angeles by Maj. Bill Hendricks, U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, where 5,000 toys were collected in the initial drive. Since then, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has collected almost 500 million toys. The District campaign was capped off with Lt. Col. Ed Chamberlayne and the corporate communications team delivering the toys to WCBD News 2 s drop-off blitz at a local McDonald s. Here, Chamberlayne presented Rob Learning about Native American Culture By: Jessica Byrd Fowler, WCBD s chief meteorologist, with the toys during a live television segment. The Charleston District has been participating in the Toys for Tots program for years and is happy to be able to aid children in need during the holiday season. Native American Indian history and culture were celebrated in December during the Charleston District s observance of National Native American Indian Heritage Month. Dr. Christophe Boucher, history professor and Native American Indian historian from the College of Charleston, spoke about tribal history, the difference between federal and state tribes, and misconceptions versus realties. Dr. Boucher also talked about communities of American Indians, such as the Catawba s, living in South Carolina. After the presentation, attendees were also able to sample food prepared from Native American Indian recipes. Robin Crosby, paralegal, said, I found the lecture interesting and enlightening to the cultural societies of the tribes.

19 Volume 4, Issue 1 Citizen CFC is a huge success! By: Sara Corbett To celebrate the Combined Federal Campaign s (CFC) 50th anniversary, the Charleston District s raised above and beyond our $25,000 goal. Due to the generosity of our employees, the Charleston District totaled $34,107 in donations. This all-time high exceeded our goal by $9,107. CFC is one of only two times in a year that government employees are allowed to be solicited at work; the other being Toys for Tots. Employees are allowed to choose which charity they would like their money to go to directly, allowing for a personal feeling of assisting an organization of whose work they support. The October town hall meeting kicked off CFC, with remarks made by Mark Durham, CFC loaned employee, and Erin Pruitt, Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) representative. Corps employees learned how CFC and their donations can help community organizations, such as PAALS, which is a non-profit organization that helps children and adults with physical disabilities and social needs by training and providing them with service animals. Page 19 Campaign for another year, said Narissia Skinner, CFC key worker. Knowing what a great difference the contributions made by fellow co-workers make to so many individuals really inspires me to continually support CFC in any way that I can. Pruitt demonstrates how her dog, Aubrey, helps her autistic son in his daily life. It was so rewarding to work on the Combined Federal The District Educates Public on the History of the AIWW By: Sara Corbett On January 8th, Brandan Scully, civil engineer, spoke to the Horry County Historical Society, an organization made up of Horry County residents interested in preserving the history of the local section of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built and dredges the AIWW to keep the waterway passages open and safe for ships and boats to traverse up and down the east coast. The Charleston District is responsible for dredging the AIWW from the Little River Inlet to Port Royal Sound. Scully spoke about the methods used to build the AIWW, how the District dredges the AIWW today and showcased old photos, which garnered great interest from the crowd. It was obvious that this waterway carries cultural and economic importance to the residents of Horry County, said Scully. I am glad I had the opportunity exchange knowledge about the current and future history of the AIWW with the people who see it every day. The Horry County Historical Society shared this photo with the Charleston District of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway being constructed in Horry County in 1935.

20 Page 20 Tidbits SAVE THE DATE! SAME Charleston is hosting a one-day Small Business Workshop! Small Business Topics presented by USACE Charleston & SBA: o Federal Procurement o New Small Business Act o Responding to Market Research o Source Selection Process o Proposals o Performance Assessments Match Making Session (limited participants) Subcontractor Opportunities & More! February 16th at the Charleston Area Convention Center For more information: Corporate Communications Office Charleston District U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 69A Hagood Avenue Charleston, SC 29403